Sexual Preference

Sexual preference is an older term once used interchangeably with sexual orientation. It has fallen out of favor because the word preference implies that who a person is attracted to is a conscious choice that could be switched, the way someone might prefer one food over another. Contemporary understanding, backed by the American Psychological Association and other major bodies, holds that sexual orientation is not chosen and does not work like a preference. Using preference can feed the harmful idea that a person's attractions can or should be changed, which underlies discredited conversion practices. For this reason, LGBTQ+ advocates, journalists, and clinicians are encouraged to use sexual orientation instead. The term is still sometimes heard in older writing and casual speech.